


Subtle

by seri-kun (vanijane)



Series: House Made [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts Era, M/M, Slytherin Harry, Yule Ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 07:11:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7748095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanijane/pseuds/seri-kun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’re dancing with me, Harry. Try not to imagine Draco naked just yet but feel free to do so once we’ve switched partners.”<br/>
<br/>
Daphne gives the worst advice and Harry tries to be subtle over his crush on his best friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Subtle

**Author's Note:**

> Also on [**tumblr**](http://psychofluffy.tumblr.com/post/148826866104/fic-subtle-harry-potter-drarry).  
>    
>  If you’re bothered by fourteen year olds making out, they can be so easily sixteen or seventeen here. Really it doesn’t have to follow canon, I just wanted a very flustered Harry during the/any Yule Ball.

“Just imagine everyone naked,” Daphne drawled as Harry stiffly led her around the dance floor and made a poor twirl. He flustered and she smiled, “you can even imagine _me_ naked, if you’d like.”

“Daphne!” Harry hissed as blood rushed up to his ears and his steps faltered.

He was already nervous for having to dance at this Yule Ball and it was no secret to all the Slytherins that he was the worst dancer in their house – _ever_ (Lily had told him that Salazar Slytherin was also famous to be an exceptional dancer. Imagining everyone naked wouldn’t help calm his nerves (he didn’t want to imagine any of the teachers naked, Merlin forbid) and it certainly wouldn’t help improve his dancing.

“Potter!”

Both Harry and Daphne looked up to see Draco skilfully leading Pansy towards them. Compared to Harry, his best friend made it look so effortless and graceful and – _oh no_. Daphne’s words rang conspiratorially in his ears and his traitorous imagination had to supply him with the image of his naked best friend. It wasn’t hard – they were both in the quidditch team and they shared the same tent – but it _was_ hard to erase the mental picture of Draco all lean and slender limbs dancing like languid water and naked.

“Don’t step on her toes!” Draco was naked and wet from a fresh shower.

He was pulled away from his downward spiral of thoughts by the sharp grip on his shoulder that was Daphne’s perfectly manicured nails. His gaze returned to her, alarmed and guilty and an apology ready to slip out of his mouth for stepping on her toes and ruining her nails.

“You’re dancing with _me_ , Harry,” she giggled before he could say anything. His mouth closed with a click, he didn’t expect that or even understood what she was trying to say. Then she leaned close to whisper on his ear, “try not to imagine Draco naked just yet but feel free to do so once we’ve switched partners.”

“Switch?”

It was subtle enough for Harry not to notice immediately but Daphne’s hold was firm enough to show Harry that he had enough leading that night. She expertly took the lead from him and before Harry could make sense of what was going on, she spun away from his arms and in the split of a count, Harry had an armful of his smirking best friend.

Oh Merlin, he internally seethed just before his mind would shut down in panic, he was going to get Daphne back for this. This could not be happening.

“Merlin, Harry, you’re really bad at this,” Draco sneered and for once, Harry didn’t have a ready rebuttal. He watched helplessly as Draco made quick work of rearranging their hands, taking the lead of this bloody dance. “Follow me and don’t step on my toes, Potter.”

Harry nodded, his throat going dry as he surrendered himself to Draco. And while _that_ definitely sounded inappropriate especially given his state of mind, the dancing no longer felt terrible. Until then, Harry felt like a lumbering troll. Both he and Daphne must have looked terrible, none of the Slytherins or select Gryffindors would ever let him live it down.

“What’s got you so stiff?”

“What?” Harry spat as his alarmed and wide eyes were zeroing on his best friend’s pointy, arrogant (stunningly beautiful –) face. He was _not_ – or was it _that_ obvious? He was _sure_ the robes were loose enough to cover anything going on with his bits.

“You’re so rigid, Harry.” His mind was spinning. This would be the perfect moment for Draco to punch him and break his nose. “I told you, I’ll lead. Just relax and follow the motions. Everyone and their mother knows you’re utter bollocks at this so stop trying to prove a point otherwise. It’s not helping your cause.”

Oh. _Oh_. They were talking about dancing. The thundering in his chest relaxed almost immediately. That was fine. Dancing was a safe, very neutral topic.

He cleared his throat with a nod, not trusting himself to reply coherently or without giving away any of his unsafe thoughts. Feeling suffocated by Draco’s intense gaze and how the lights from the chandelier perfectly highlighted Draco’s high cheekbones and pointed nose, Harry turned his eyes way. He saw Daphne and Pansy dancing a few feet away from them, they were sending him sideway looks as they leaned towards each other, giggling and whispering excitedly. Christmas holidays and cheer be damned, he was going to _hurt_ those two –

“Eep!”

Harry was pulled towards his dance partner and _oh Merlin_ he could feel their chests pressed together. He didn’t _dare_ looking up in utter fear that Draco would see how red his face had become. He heard Pansy snort and saw Blaise giving him a wide grin from over Draco’s shoulder. Slytherin loyalty and fraternity – _yeah right_.

“You’re a riot,” Harry _felt_ Draco’s laughter vibrating down his chest and immediately focused all his control into his breathing. In his mind, he was cursing whoever fool started the Yule Ball tradition and whoever created this _dumb stupid close contact_ dance.

Draco was humming and oh _god_ , he could feel it on his ear where Draco’s mouth was. Oh god. He felt like he’d swallowed a bag full of Pepper Imps and a bottle of Felix Felicis. His body tingled from all the spots where they were touching and it felt like _magic_ – nice, warm and electricity.

He was still going to get back his friends, though. Nothing was going to change his mind at this point, not even if Draco pressed his mouth on his skin and –

“Wanna get out of here?” Draco whispered close to his ear, his breath warm and ticklish as it brushed over his skin. Harry felt Draco’s grin, his lips brushing briefly over his flushed ear and Harry wondered why he hadn’t melted into slime yet. “I’m tired, this dance is boring.”

Harry wanted nothing more than to leave the hall and run to the Hospital Wing to tend to his thundering heart but just as equally, he wanted to keep up this farce of a dance pressed _intimately_ to his best friend. There was no other opportunity as intimate as this –

“Food then…garden?”

“Yes,” he _breathed_ out immediately.

Draco’s hand was firm on his waist and Harry tried not to let his eyes flutter (Tracey and Theo were looking at him and wearing smirks) as he was led towards the outer circle of the dance floor. They discreetly stayed close to the buffet table, taking as much as they could fit into their robe pockets, before they snuck out to the garden but even as they were out of the hall, Draco still had a firm hold on his hand. Harry stared at their clasped hands, near delirious with so much emotion, as his best friend brought them to an empty clearing deep into the gardens where it was private.

“Over here,” Draco said as he pulled Harry towards a wide bench. He took a seat on the middle of it and pulled Harry down to sit close beside him that their arms were practically tangled as they emptied their pockets for food.

As Harry bit into a one of the muffins they absconded, he felt Draco’s long and thin fingers carded through his hair and lost hold of the pastry. Before he could stop himself, he leaned onto the touch and let out a small pleasant noise. The hand that brushed through his hair stopped but before Harry could mourn its loss, Draco’s hand came to the other side of his head and made him turn to face Draco.

“You’re cute when you’re trying to be subtle, Potter,” Draco smirked before leaning close and – _oh._

Harry finally melted into the kiss, letting out a small moan as Draco’s arms went around him, pulling him close and holding them flushed together when Harry was poorly straddled on his lap.

May be, Harry thought as he shivered when Draco’s tongue swiped his bottom lip, he wouldn’t hurt any of his friends after all. He might just actually owe them a round of butterbeer and several trips to Honeydukes.


End file.
